4) Sturmanite Specimens
N'Chwaning Mines & Wessels Mine
Kalahari Manganese Fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa
2.0 cm to 3.2 cm
Here is a great lot of this rare sulfate mineral.
It is very hard to find fine examples undamaged due to the softness of the mineral.
Finding a well formed crystal of this rare mineral is real prize.
Here are 4 great specimen from these two South African mines.
2 are thumbnail size and the other two are would barely fit into a thumbnail box, so I will call them small miniature.
Wessels Mine:
1 thumbnail and 1 small miniature.
Both have crystals of sturmanite in different sizes along with micro crystals of calcite and manganite.
The color of the crystals is a darker with a more matte look to them, but are still transparent when back lit.
N'Chwaning Mines:
1 thumbnail and 1 small miniature.
The sturmanite crystals from this mine, are more gemmy and bright yellow.
The thumbnail also has micro crystals of calcite, while the larger one has micro sturmanite crystals covering it, along with smithsonite.
A great collection of this rare mineral.
